Michael Martello Jr.

Chef Michael Martello Jr. originally wanted to be a photographer, but switched to cooking, which allows him to invoke and create memories for diners using all of the senses. Martello sees his craft as "an opportunity to push myself to be more thoughtful and creative without using words. Sometimes silence and a gesture can say more."

Applying this approach to his spoonful, Martello selected the ingredients and spoon with care, seeing each as a component of a larger vision. "Cooking, not unlike life, is about knowing where you came from to see where you can go." The spoon has been in Martello’s service since his days in Copenhagen. He bought it in a corner shop for around $3 and it is the most important spoon he owns. "It’s the way it fits my hand. There’s this feeling I get that I have just the right amount of butter, glaze, or sauce I need for each dish to make it exactly as it should be."